Addicted to Denial
by YanaEffect
Summary: When The Clover's name is mentioned, everybody thinks of one name: Naruto Uzumaki. And every Saturday night, he goes big. But tonight, he encounters someone that makes him go home. Not alone, of course.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hellooooooo. I started writing this months ago (sigh) and gave up after a while, but I'm inspired to continue writing. It won't be super long, about 3 or 4 chapters (I think). Comments are appreciated for they will definitely help me keep writing.**

 **Special thanks to Chaussie (On Tumblr) and FranBunny for proofreading. :3**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Naruto took one last look at himself in the long mirror of the luxurious lavatory and fixed his black bowtie before he pushed the door open with his shoulder and stepped out, headed to the casino. It was just another night at The Clover. The lights were dimmed slightly, just to give the area more of a spooky atmosphere. A band from the 80s was playing in the background - barely noticeable, but loud enough to keep the place lively. Drinks were discounted for the next fifteen minutes, and as a regular patron, Naruto could tell that the bar was more crowded than ever.

The heavy smell of smoke was lingering in the air. He could classify the chimes coming from the slot machines as beautiful if he tried hard enough. The red carpet underneath the soles of his shiny shoes kept the ground from making any noise as he walked across the floor to his first stop of every Saturday: the Blackjack table by the ATM machines.

"Good evening, ladies and gentleman," he offered, taking the seat designated for him. "I hope I didn't make you wait too long."

"Just on time, Uzumaki," replied Neji Hyuuga, the heir of the Byakugan Group, tapping his long, pale fingers on the table. He carefully surveyed Naruto's gray suit jacket, then his Rolex watch, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips.

The other parties, however, didn't agree with the man. "I've been here since noon, you brat. What took you so long from getting your ass down here?"

Naruto didn't dignify the woman sitting on his left with an answer. Tsunade was many things; a gambler, trickster, drunkard, and maybe slut - she also had objectively fantastic breasts and she never held back from using them to silence men, so Naruto knew better than get into a verbal fight with her.

He elegantly crossed his legs at the knees and leaned back. "Would you do the honors, Hidan?"

Said man looked up from his iPhone. "Fuu is not here?"

"She's down with the flu."

"That's a bummer," Tsunade murmured, seeming genuinely upset with the news, taking a large sip from his Jungle Juice.

Neji narrowed his eyes. "Going cheap with the drinks tonight, I see."

"Tch. It was pretty empty around here before 7."

"Not many dimwits for you to swindle?"

Tsunade slammed the glass onto the table and smirked. "Indeed. Now shut up and start the game." She pulled out a bunch of crumpled bills from her pockets, placing them next to her drink.

Naruto eyed the money. "200? You have got to be kidding me."

Hidan sighed, looking around the grand salon for a specific face. When his eyes caught the other's, he motioned for the woman to come up. Naruto removed his walled from the inside pocket of his jacket, pinching five $100 bills and putting them on the table.

"Seriously? You're no fun today, Naruto," commented Hidan, and bet the same amount.

Anko's bare legs brushed against Neji's chair. She threw Tsunade a look, then her eyes wandered over the others. "Welcome back, losers."

"It's funny how you say that everytime we play here, even though none of us lost big amounts yet."

"Speak for yourself," Anko said, snorting at Tsunade's eye roll. She swished her dark purple hair back before she started giving out their chips, clearly not so pleased with their bets. "That all you've got?"

Neji gave a curt nod. "We're trying something new today."

She hummed, reaching for the deck. As she licked her red-stained lips, her manicured hands professionally shuffled the cards. "Ready, fellas?"

Naruto threw a sneaky grin. "Bring it on."

* * *

The game lasted for more than an hour before they decided to call it quits. Tsunade didn't seem happy with the result, but she was clever enough not to cause a scene. Instead, she accepted her bad luck for the day and bid them goodnight, considerably drunk, barely able to walk toward the exit.

His gaze flickered on Neji. He was picking at his nails, unfazed. Naruto was certain the man made more money in ten minutes than what he'd earned during the game. Hidan appeared upset, looking down at his phone again.

"Things are not going swell?" Naruto inquired.

Hidan scoffed and stroked his chin. "Fucking Wi-Fi went out for a sec. I missed my round."

Naruto sighed, getting to his feet. He checked his watch. 10 p.m. sharp.

"Hey, I'm going if you're not playing another round," Anko scolded, her arms folded. "It's getting crowded in here."

"Thanks for the game, Anko." He winked cheekily, starting to walk away. Since Saturday night's Blackjack convention with the Four-Leaf Clover as they called themselves was over now, he could head to the bar and enjoy a drink or two before the night really began.

The bartender was wiping off his vest, his face grim, almost deadly. Naruto settled onto a stool, not afraid in the slightest to speak. "What do you think? Heads or tails?"

"What do I care." The man picked up another napkin.

"You're no fun tonight, Orochimaru," he accused, watching the game going on at a nearby table.

When he felt Orochimaru's glare, he cocked his head to the side.

"Heads for Gin and Tonic. Tails for a vodka shot," he spit.

"Geez. Did they all order cocktails?" He picked a coin from the tip jar and flipped it. When it was slammed onto his thigh, he gave a sigh of relief. "Tails."

Orochimaru started preparing the order after he made sure the coin was back in the jar. "Next time the management instructs for a discount on cocktails, I'm quitting."

Naruto shrugged a shoulder and reached for the cold glass. "Alright."

"Look, Uzumaki. Fresh meat."

Grimacing at the burn in his throat, he turned on the stool and fixed his gaze on the table Orochimaru was pointing at. "Which one?"

"Dark hair, red dress. Some spoiled chick, perhaps."

"She's a newbie. But too cautious," he remarked, squinting his eyes at the $50 bill she gave to the dealer. "I'm just gonna head to the machines."

"You're no fun tonight," Orochimaru repeated. "Hm. Suit yourself."

Naruto didn't feel the need to say anything else. Before he made his way to the slot machines, he walked toward the table he'd been watching and stood behind an elder man. He removed a card from his pocket and leaned forward to slide it into the front pocket of the man's shirt.

All eyes turned on him.

The lady sitting beside the dealer spoke with fury. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Gamblers Anonymous," Naruto explained, a fake smile plastered on his face.

The old man angled his head to see Naruto. A glimpse of his sweaty face was enough for Naruto to know that he was losing.

"Free advice. Take it, or leave it."

Ignoring the voices, he took one last look at the game, already knowing who was going to leave with their tail between their legs, and who was going to buy a new car.

He realized there were no empty machines only when he walked around the corner to start playing. He checked his watch again – it had already been more than 20 minutes, and he didn't want to waste any more time. His hands were itching to gamble.

So, he approached to who seemed like the weakest link in the row of machines. "Need some help, my friend?"

In a few minutes, he had made enough money to convince the other to take his player's card and leave, or spend his newfound money at some other game – Naruto didn't care as long as he wasn't bugged again – and the machine was his to rob off all the money inside now.

He could probably earn with his eyes closed, but he opted to keep them open and focused on the reels.

In between attempts, he felt someone approach, and the smell of their Tom Ford perfume reached Naruto before they did. Just to make sure, he checked the reflection off of the glass of his watch, and couldn't help but smirk when he proved himself right. "Bored already?"

"Been ages since I've tripled the money," Neji said, leaning against the machine. "Some kids came by after you left. Barely of age."

"It shouldn't be so difficult to play two games at once for Hidan."

"Not at all, but they asked him to put the phone down."

Raising a brow, Naruto took his eyes off the machine for a moment. "What for?"

Neji threw him a sly smile. "They thought he was checking off cheat sheets."

The snort that left Naruto's throat was surprisingly loud. "The fuck."

"That's exactly what he said."

He pulled down the machine's arm, for the nth time.

"What were you doing at the table over there? I couldn't help but notice," Neji asked as he took seat in the chair next to Naruto's, which had just been emptied, and inserted a coin.

"I gave the losing guy the Gamblers Anonymous card I found in my pocket," Naruto answered.

"Really?" He muttered, confused.

"Yeah. I suppose the housekeeper who cleans my room left it there. She's a nice girl."

Neji hummed. "Interesting."

"Yeah." He realized there were no more $5 bills in his wallet, and that was his cue to stop. He took the amount he'd won, giving it a distasteful look. "Wanna head to The Big Six later? But I want a drink first."

Getting up from the chair, Neji straightened his clothes and shortly nodded. "Sounds good."

They headed for the bar again, finding out that Orochimaru was in a much better mood for some reason. Naruto got himself Pina Colada while Neji settled for a Martini. The people around the wheel were familiar except for a few faces.

Taking the initiative, he decided to introduce himself first. He slowly lifted a hand and wore his best smile. "Good evening. Naruto Uzumaki."

"Hello, Naruto," Gaara, one of the regulars of The Clover, greeted him. "Gaara Sabaku, everyone."

A pink haired woman around her early 20s smiled. "Sakura Haruno. This is my partner, Lee."

"Nice to meet you," Naruto shook hands with them.

"Neji Hyuuga."

"Who's your friend, Temari?" Naruto asked.

Said woman nudged the man beside her with her elbow, causing him to frown. "Shikamaru Nara. FYI, I'm not her friend."

Temari dramatically rolled her eyes.

The dealer brushed the dust off her bright pink, low cut top and coughed. Shall we start, then?"

"I'm not really good at this," Sakura sheepishly admitted, her cheeks reddish.

Lee linked their arms together. "Don't worry, my love. This game does not require any skills."

"He's right. You just need luck here, and who knows, you might leave with your purse full," Naruto said. He ran his idle hand through his hair, then wrapped his lips around the straw, taking a drink.

After the chips were handed out and the bets were placed, the dealer spun the wheel.

This was Naruto's favorite part. He didn't play because he was addicted, like everyone thought. He didn't play because he could easily earn money through gambling. He played because he loved the excitement running through his body as he waited for the result. The adrenaline – oh, he was a junkie, that was for sure.

The wheel stopped on $5. Naruto simply stared, his face giving away absolutely no emotion.

Sakura gave a small cry of victory, watching Lee grab her chips for her. "I won?"

"Yes, my dear," Lee kissed the crown of her hair. "But be careful."

As Neji and Naruto watched their own chips disappear, they placed their new bets.

Watching around was one of Naruto's hobbies. More of a habit, really. The Clover wasn't enormously big, allowing Naruto to have an idea about the faces around, and how good of a player they were.

There were people who he hadn't seen around before. In the middle of them, there stood a man in an immaculate navy blue suit with his hair darker than the night sky, and he had an impressive poker face going on.

"See that?" He nudged Neji with his elbow, whispering. "Dude at the poker table."

Neji threw a skeptical look. "You think he's one of us?"

"No. He can't be a real gambler," he murmured. "I don't like his attitude."

Gaara's voice interrupted their little conversation. The redhead was looking at their chips on $1. "You two have lost again."

"This is weird. Two rounds, and still no 1?"

"It happens, Miss Haruno," explained Gaara, careful with his tone. "Although I was so sure that Uzumaki was simply unable to lose."

Lee's brows were furrowed. "And why is that?"

Neji scoffed lightly. "It's rumored that Naruto's mother delivered on a poker table."

"Rumored?" Gaara looked at Naruto, genuinely baffled. "I thought that was a fact."

"Please," Naruto shook his head, his lips twitching. He stole a glance at the man in the back again, just to check if he was losing yet. "My mother is a brilliant woman, but she has no skills in gambling whatsoever."

"Are you playing or should I say something about your mother too?" The dealer said, her attitude on the cusp of bitchy.

Naruto put his glass on an empty side of the table. "What's your name again?"

"None of your business."

"Hm. I like a challenge," he mused, placing his chip on 20. "Spin it, pretty bird."

This time, he got lucky. As he gathered his chips, he gave the woman a knowing smirk.

Someone at the table behind them cheered loudly, distracting them from the game, and they all turned around to see what was going on. Apparently the guy Naruto had been eyeing had won some serious money, and all the women at the table were fawning all around him.

Naruto heard a growl. It took him a moment to realize it had come from his own throat. He took a deep breath, schooling his face into a neutral expression, and tried not to look at the dealer, who looked like she would give an arm and a leg to drop Naruto's table and be the other guy's dealer instead.

He glanced at his chips, deciding to take a bigger risk. "What do you say, Neji?"

Neji shook his head in disapproval. He'd bet on 1 again himself. The song changed abruptly, and he looked up at the speakers. "Hear that?"

"Huh. Johnny Cash?" Naruto scratched his chin. "Fine. One it is, then," he slid his chip on the table.

Sakura hummed in confusion. "What was that?"

"Naruto's mother is a big fan. They think her incompetence at gambling will affect their luck."

"Gaara. Can you talk about something other than my mother for once, please?" Naruto complained, shooting an annoyed look at him before he started watching the spinning wheel.

A snort was heard from the other table. Naruto looked up, intrigued, and was absolutely outraged when he realized it was the smug bastard, and he had the indecency to look Naruto in the eye. Like he was challenging him. Who the hell did he think he was, walking into The Clover and thinking he was the best gambler around?

Naruto felt oddly territorial. He didn't know why – okay, maybe he wasn't exactly happy with all the regulars of the casino except himself and his friends lining up at his table to play with him, because he was no one, just a visitor. Was he even that good? Was he cheating? Well, nobody had caught him yet. He could see it for himself by playing a round with him, but that would mean admitting interest in him and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

A few rounds later, he realized he was mentally tired of trying to focus on the game and the conversation going on. He was carelessly betting his money, and he was losing, and even though that was always a possibility, he was starting to think it was time for a break.

"I think I'll get another drink," he announced, smiling, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Actually, we were thinking of taking off," Lee answered, looking at Sakura for approval. She nodded, reaching for her purse. "It was fun playing with you lot. Who knows, maybe we'll meet again sometime in the future."

"I really hope so. Sakura. Lee," Naruto shook their hands again.

Lee grinned. "Until then, take care, friends." They shook hands with the others, too, then headed for the exit.

Naruto sighed. "Gentlemen. Care to join me?"

As he received the money he earned, Neji replied. "I should get going."

He put his wallet into his pocket. "Isn't it still a bit early?"

"It is. But I gotta be up early in the morning." He put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Careful with the drinks."

"Gotcha," Naruto smiled. "See you next week?"

"You bet." He offered a polite goodbye to Gaara, too. Naruto realized the moody dealer had already fled.

Gaara gave him a look. "Shall we?"

Naruto realized Orochimaru had left his place to Kiba, the other bartender. He liked Kiba much better, the dude was fun to talk to, and he sometimes poured extra liquor in Naruto's drinks. What more could he ask for from a bartender?

Kiba served other patrons while Naruto and Gaara fell into an easy conversation. Every once in a while, Naruto's eyes wandered off, then caught Gaara's again after flickering on a particular person for a second.

"Yo," Kiba finally approached them behind the bar, ready to take their orders. "What can I get you, gentlemen?"

"Surprise me, Kiba," Naruto said, laughing. Gaara settled for rum and coke.

After getting their drinks, Kiba pulled the stool behind the bar closer to them and took a seat. "So. What's new?"

"Naruto is crushing on the good-looking dude at the crowded poker table."

Kiba chuckled. "Really?"

"No," Naruto answered, his voice bitter. "He's annoying."

Gaara snorted. "What did he ever do to you?"

"He's stealing my spotlight! Look—" he gasped. "Oh my God. Not Anko!"

"He converted her, too?" Gaara turned in his seat to see. "Wow. He's good, isn't he?"

"Piss off."

Kiba sharply exhaled. "Maybe you should challenge him."

"There's no way I'm talking to that stuck-up bastard. He had the nerves to make fun of me. Can you believe that?!" He took a large sip from whatever drink Kiba had set in front of him. "He thinks he's so much better than me."

"Then prove him that he's not," Gaara said. He pulled out his phone, a frown making its way to his face when he saw the caller. "I gotta take this."

He felt a pat on his shoulder. "You seem down. Something happen? Other than the obvious, I mean."

"No. Not that I know of," he answered, offering a small but genuine smile. "I guess I'm not really in the mood today."

"Whoa. That's new." Kiba brought a glass to his lips and emptied its content into his mouth. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Ouch."

"Mix it with something, man. You're gonna give yourself a bad hangover."

Someone took Gaara's seat. "Three shots. Something strong."

"Hidan," Naruto looked to him. "I thought you'd left."

"Uh. Orochimaru told me not to sell you any more drinks," Kiba said, taking a step back just in case. The gray haired gambler wasn't exactly known for being kind.

Hidan growled. "Fuck him."

"Welp. I agree, so," he turned around to pick a bottle.

"Why are you so upset?" Naruto couldn't help but ask.

"Got my ass kicked." He downed the first shot, then the second.

Naruto laughed, but it slowly faded when the alcohol induced phase wore off. "Wait – seriously?"

Hidan looked ready for homicide. "Yes."

"Who?"

"Name's Sasuke Uchiha."

"Who the f—" He scowled. "Is it that arrogant asshole over at the poker table?"

"Yep."

Naruto licked his lips, feeling anger and something else he didn't quite recognize course through his veins. "You know what?"

Silence took over. When Naruto didn't say anything else, Kiba tentatively asked, "…What?"

"It's about time this night really begins." He reached for Hidan's third shot, downed it in one go as he ignored the man's protests and stood up. He combed a hand through his hair, fixed his bowtie and jacket, and headed to the poker table.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter. Sorry for posting this late, I was being lazy. Thanks to FranBunny on Ao3 for helping me out with this chapter. I wouldn't be able to write it without her. Go check her stories out, too! She's amazing.**

* * *

Naruto confidently took a seat between Gaara and some rich lady he saw around all the time. Most of the people at the table, he did know, and the bunch he didn't were probably the smug bastard's friends. All the more reason for Naruto to beat him at the game - show them that their friend was imperfect. He wasn't a goddamn God or anything. There was no reason to practically worship him.

It was all disturbing in a way Naruto couldn't quite comprehend - he saw feuds and fights in the casino daily - but this time it was about some dude they had never seen before instead of money or spilled drinks.

And for some reason, that's what bugged Naruto the most.

"What's going on here?"

The words had already left his mouth. He wore his best face, pretending he knew what he was doing, and he was as hell was successful at that, too.

"Ah. You must be the "Clover King"," said the girl with hair that made her look like she killed her enemies and bathed in their blood. Naruto find the thought amusing as much as… well, gross. Also, she was sardonic, and Naruto didn't like that.

"I am, indeed," he offered a polite nod. "And you are…?"

"Karin. Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to play."

Bitch.

Gaara cleared his throat, watching the two dealers yell at each other about who would get to deal this round with a blank expression.

"Okay ladies, let's toss a coin," Naruto found himself saying when he got tired of watching two chicks try to disembowel each other. "Heads, blond. Tails, ginger." Without waiting for a response from anyone (yes, he was that tired of the argument), he grabbed a coin from the table and casually tossed it. It landed on his hand, and the upper side was tails.

"Hah!" The ginger woman tossed her hair to the side and gave a look to the other dealer. As she started shuffling the cards, the blond chick was busy slitting Naruto's throat in her mind, but Naruto couldn't care less. His brows were furrowed in thought - he was planning his moves already, and he could feel gazes on his face.

"Alrighty. Here we gooo," said the dealer breathily. She hinted excitement with all of her body.

"Lame," mumbled Gaara, making sure only Naruto could hear him.

"I know," was Naruto's answer. "Let's show them who's boss."

The game started. Naruto was a natural at poker (plus, he was playing since he was about seven) and had an impeccable poker face. There was no way he could be losing.

Yet, he was pretty sure he was.

The guy - Sasuke, if he had heard correctly - was unbelievably focused on the game it was just about inhuman. His dark, long lashes were covering Naruto's vision to his eyes, which were also very dark and intelligent-looking. Naruto didn't need an excuse to explain why he had such a detailed knowledge of the guy's face. He was very perceptive, that's all.

Naruto wasn't losing his cool, as a professional gambler, he'd lost the ability to panic a long time ago. But he would be lying if he said his hands weren't sweating just a little bit as he held the cards.

"Juugo, can you grab me a drink?" Karin called out to the bulky ginger dude standing behind them, just watching with his hands crossed over his chest.

Juugo sighed. "What do you want this time?"

"Whiskey."

The white-haired guy sitting next to Sasuke raised a hand and faked a huge grin. "Can you get me some water, buddy?"

Karin rested a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Do you want anything, Sas?"

Naruto inwardly cringed. "No," Sasuke simply answered without even bothering to look up or thank his friend for asking.

After roughly three or four hours later, they were still playing. A few had run out of chips, but Naruto and Sasuke were still at the top of their game, winning, then losing, then winning again, keeping the balance of their fortune.

Gaara wasn't among the ones who had left yet. "This is entertaining," he sardonically said as they waited for Naruto to make a move. "I'm having so much fun it's a felony."

Nobody said anything. The dealer resembled someone praying to whatever God was above watching them to let her die in peace; she had taken off her ridiculously high heels and she rubbed at her feet every once in a while when someone took too long to play.

"Hmmm." Naruto licked his lips. He was still unsure, watching his cards, the gears in his head nearly perceptibly turning.

"It's getting late," Gaara sighed. "I quit." He put his cards on the table and stood up.

"Heeeey. Don't leave me alone!" Naruto uncharacteristically cried. He had sobered up from the alcohol, but his head hurt slightly from thinking too much, and that gave him some sort of high that nothing else could.

"The sun will come up in an hour or two. I gotta go home. I have a family."

Sasuke, who had never spoken a word to them on a personal level before, sniggered. His eyes were narrowed slightly. "Scared to be alone, without your friend's support, scaredycat?"

If Naruto wasn't feeling confrontational before, he surely was now. "Me? Scared?" He waved his hand in dismissal - a clear sign of mockery. "I could play with my hands tied."

"He's telling the truth," Gaara said as a matter-of-factly. "Anyway. Good night, gentleman. Naruto, you know the deal."

"Yeah, yeah." Don't do anything stupid, Gaara would say if the situation wasn't so grim. He bid them goodbye again, patted Naruto's shoulder and left with silent footsteps.

"My shift ends in fifteen minutes. Are you guys sure you wanna keep this up?" asked their second dealer, picking at her nails. She seemed bored enough.

Naruto shrugged. "I'm willing to keep going."

"Hn."

The dealer girl stomped her foot. "Is that a yes or a no? Will you answer like a normal person?"

Naruto had a really difficult time holding back his laughter. Sasuke shot him a glare, which Naruto caught, and they just stared at each other, eyes squinted and brows furrowed.

"Alright, my dudes, I'm leavin'. I'll send somebody over for when yous are done with… whatever it is that you're doin'."

"Thank you," Naruto bit out angrily, unable to look away from Sasuke.

Karin chose that moment to interfere. She had been drinking a lot, watching Suigetsu and Juugo play pool - Naruto had a good memory for names - but she seemed quite tired. "We should get going, Sasuke. Your brother will be mad for staying this long at this lousy place."

How dare she call The Clover lousy.

"Take the others and go," Sasuke told her. "I'll hang around here for a while more."

Naruto checked the clock. It was about 4 in the morning. They had a short while before the casino closed. "Don't even bother."

Sasuke abruptly turned his head. His nostrils got bigger, and he pressed his lips together while they curled upward. "I see. Avoiding a challenge. How brave."

"I was doing you a favor." He rolled his eyes. "It's getting late, though. The casino closes at 5."

Sasuke snorted. "Karin, let's go."

"Wait," Naruto stood up, hands splayed on the table. He didn't want to seem cowardly, so he figured offering wouldn't hurt. "I have a private casino in my suite." Heh. Now, if Sasuke refused, it would be on him. Naruto had offered, after all.

Karin rolled her eyes, one hand on her hip, fingers tracing the black leather of her expensive skirt that complemented her cream blouse that had a few buttons undone, enough to show off the upper part of her bra. She seemed to like rubbing her breasts against Sasuke, too. "I'm tired, 'suke."

Sasuke remained still for a moment. "What will I gain from it?"

"Money, if you're as good at gambling as you pretend to be."

The smug man was a smirker, that was a given. "I don't need money."

"There must be a reason why you're here, though," Naruto retorted.

"There is."

"Are we leaving or not!?" Karin stomped her foot lightly. Her cheeks were flushed, kind of resembling the color of her hair. She reminded Naruto of her mother for some reason - the attitude, the hair color, everything. He couldn't suppress a small smile. "Since when are you so… fickle?"

Sasuke turned around and whispered something in her ear. Naruto tried, but he couldn't hear a word he said, and therefore, Karin's giggle didn't make sense.

"'Kay, 'kay. I'm goin'" she hiccuped. "You." She abruptly pointed a finger at Naruto and pushed back her glasses with her other index finger.

Naruto merely raised an amused brow. Watching drunk people had always been fun to him.

"Shall we?" Sasuke cut in with a cold voice.

"Of course," replied Naruto, shoulders stiff. They shared a look - feral, thinking themselves as a hunter, ready to charge. Whenever their eyes met, that was what Naruto had felt. Like Sasuke wanted to destroy him.

From the humongous windows of the hotel lobby, they saw the sun starting to rise and light up the earth as they moved to the elevators. It was a lot more silent than the night, except for cicadas chirping outside. Naruto folded his arms, careful not to crease his suit.

The doors of the lift finally opened. They stepped in, Sasuke first, because of course Naruto was a gentleman and let his guest go first. Sasuke seemed okay with that. Luckily, there was a young couple next to them, so they didn't have to suffer from being completely alone together in a room, but the minute Naruto thought about this, the doors opened once again and the couple left.

Now it was just him and Sasuke.

It's wasn't in Naruto's nature to stay silent for too long. He liked to speak, he loved crowded, loud places. The elevator right now was the exact opposite of that: a brooding man standing next to him, the only sound coming from the machinery. No elevator song, no small talk, no strangers. Nothing.

He thanked whatever gambling God was watching them from afar in his head when the doors parted again.

His suite was close, a couple doors away. Neither men spoke as he slid his card down the reader and the door opened with a click.

The suite was huge. Red carpets covered the whole floor, and the minibar was the first thing that welcomed them when somebody walked through the door. Wooden cupboards held liquor bottles and some cup ramen; something Naruto enjoyed eating, especially after a good night's gambling.

Sasuke shut the door behind them. Naruto quickly made his way to the mini fridge, grabbing a bottle of water for himself. "Do you want anything, Sasuke? Water? Whiskey? I have beer, too."

The way Sasuke's name rolled on his tongue was thrilling in a way Naruto didn't understand.

"No," Sasuke refused, watching Naruto turn the cap of the water bottle to take a sip, "but thanks anyway."

So he wasn't a total dick then. Naruto shrugged, starting to walk across the suite. The curtains weren't drawn, showing off the perfect mountain view. The sun was bright orange and beautiful. Stars had disappeared, much to Naruto's dismay. He hardly ever saw them since he spent most nights indoors.

"Nice suite.''

"I know," Naruto said. The air between them had changed to something tranquil rather than aggressive, but Naruto was kind of sure it would go away once they started playing again. "Shall we start?"

"I need to use your bathroom first," Sasuke said.

It was strange, Naruto thought, but Sasuke was human too, after all. "Uh. This way," he pointed toward the other end of the room.

Once Sasuke closed the door behind himself, Naruto sighed and took a seat on the edge of the bed. What was he doing? He'd never had another gambler in his room, including Gaara, for games. The casino was unused by him, just a place he sometimes liked to drink and think, alone. Now, he was going to play with someone in some place he considered personal.

Before he could ponder more about it, though, the sound of the water going down the drain was heard, and Sasuke opened the door. He looked scary in a way - Naruto didn't know what had changed when he was inside, but the predatory attitude was back full force. Sasuke buttoned down his arms and smirked. "Let's play."

All Naruto could do was nod. He wasn't usually this… dumbstruck. He quietly took a deep breath as he opened the big door to the casino, smelling the unique scent that was mixed with cigarettes by the previous resident.

"What are we going to play?" He asked as they book took a seat at the two sides of the short table. The distance let them see and hear each other clearly.

"You choose," Sasuke said, "since you're the host."

"Very well." He reclined in his seat. "Poker sounds good. I want something that requires skills."

Sasuke leaned forward and put one elbow on the desk, placing his chin on his palm. "Strip poker."

Naruto was taken aback. "What?"

"It'll be fun seeing you out of your clothes." He looked dead serious.

"I can't refuse my guest's wishes, can I?" Naruto murmured, reaching for the cards to deal. "After all, I will be the one seeing you naked."

Sasuke's expression didn't change. "Do you want to be the big blind?"

"You know I'm not afraid," Naruto nodded. He put in $50, having Sasuke put in $25.

They didn't have a dealer, so Naruto reached for the cards standing in the middle of the table, shuffling the deck as they sent glares at each other. "Are you ready?"

Sasuke snorted lightly. "Send 'em."

Quickly, Naruto dealt their cards. When he put the deck on the table to look at his own, he saw red: Ace of Hearts and 10 of Hearts.

He saw Sasuke knock on the table. When his gaze flickered on the pale face, he searched for something, but all he saw was a blank expression, like a freshly painted wall. Nothing.

This was apparently gonna be a hard game, played by two professionals, as much as he didn't want to admit. But Naruto wasn't hopeless. He had two cards that had high values, and they were the same suit. He reached for the chips, throwing in $20.

Sasuke called the bet and added $45, making his bet $70. Strangely, he didn't look so expressionless now. He looked bored, tired even. Perhaps it was a bluff? He wanted to distract Naruto.

Or, he wanted to distract Naruto by making him think he was trying to distract him.

Double bluff.

Remembering not to shake his head, Naruto's eyes found his cards again and he knocked on the table again to check, then he reached for the desk again and dealt the cards.

6 of Hearts, 7 of Hearts, and 5 of Spades.

They both knocked on the table.

The silence that followed the knocks was eerie. Naruto was so used to playing in a jammed casino that he found the quiet room bothersome - he liked the room hushed when he was alone, but not when he was actually playing.

The next time he dealt, he realized he'd let down 8 of Hearts for himself. While he tried to read Sasuke's face, he tried to keep his own reflection unruffled. He had a flush, which meant things were going good for him. He crossed his legs under the table and scratched the top of his left hand.

Sasuke checked again, and Naruto reached for the $30 chip, making his total bet $100. When he looked up, he saw Sasuke's eyes boring into his face, passionate and competitive. But also… ravenous. He craved for something he couldn't get out of poker.

Naruto was awakened from his daze when Sasuke cleared his throat.

He grinned a wolflike leer at Naruto.

Stupid, stupid Sasuke. He was going to pay for this.

The other man's face was expressionless again, and he bet another $50. Naruto called, raising the pot to $300.

He had a _Flush_ ; 5 cards of the same suit. He'd won.

Or, he thought so.

His gaze wandered over Sasuke's cards, and he saw that Sasuke had a _Full House_ ; a combination of one pair and three of a kind.

He felt his mask crack - he was so stupefied that Sasuke had won the round that his poker face had faltered.

"I told you I'm good, Uzumaki," Sasuke remarked smugly.

Naruto snorted. "That was sheer luck."

Sasuke didn't reply, but as he took off his watch, Naruto realized had learned the first lesson of gambling once again: Never underestimate.


End file.
